OTT BE Mission #11-Water-Ship Down 7 April 1918

[Setarius]

Entente 2 April 1918
Lt. Richard Forbes: 2Lts. Callahan, Hamlett, and Finch as well as Sgt. LaClaire. Here are orders for you to fly to St. Omer to attend some cross service conference and training.
Gentlemen, you all know about the fiasco with the rookies bringing in the new planes a couple of weeks ago, and since then we have all been down with the influenza. Well it seems command has decided to see fit to let us have 2 new planes. This time though, we are going to escort them all the way back here.
You guys are the healthiest at the moment. After the conference you three are to fly to Calais where you will find the replacement planes and escort them safely back here.

9 April 1918

Lt. Forbes: Gentlemen, how did the cross service conference go in St. Omer?

2Lt. Finch: In my opinion sir, it was a waste of time. We sat around drinking that awful stuff they called coffee while listening to people who have their heads up their arses drone on about the need for more cooperation and understanding between the fly boys and the ground units.

Sgt. LaClaire: A perfect example was the attack a couple of weeks ago sir. We got blamed for not giving the doughboys good and accurate troop placement before the attack, and then once it started we were blamed for not getting our kites up fast enough to stall the attack once it started.

2Lt. Callahan: Sir, it was a waste of our time and the food wasn't even good.

Lt. Forbes: Ok enough on that topic. I see you brought us two new Camels.

2Lt. Callahan: We had to jump through hoops to get them.

2Lt. Finch: Yes sir. We found the base near Calais, dropped in on them, found our planes, and while we were looking for the pilots a corporal showed up saying he had orders for us from a Capt. Louis Sinclair, and we were to report immediately. He had 2 MPs with him so we reported.
According to the Capt. we were the only ones available to intercept a supply ship and its escort. We were given coordinates and an approximate time the ship would be there.
They hung a torpedo under my plane!
I tell you when we took off that was the worst crate I have ever flown. I was barely above the tree tops as we crossed the coast.
Attachment 227629
2Lt. Finch: We spotted a kette headed out to sea, so 2Lt. Callahan and Hamlett went after them while I tried to turn my pregnant whale.
Attachment 227630
It seems our quarry was steaming towards us and had picked up some cover.
Attachment 227631
2Lt. Callahan and Hamlett got in line and headed for the enemy aircraft.
Attachment 227632
The first shots fired favored our side but not by much.
Ltn. Dietlen (1) (1) 2Lt. Callahan (0)
Attachment 227633
Everyone passed by each other and we were too low to be attacked.
Attachment 227634
As 2Lt. Callahan pulled a reverse one of the ships fired its AA gun but missed. 2Lt. Callahan (0)
Attachment 227635
2Lt. Hamlett got hit hard (5) but didn't have the angle to return fire.
Attachment 227636
2Lt. Callahan: After I did the reverse I had a head on attack on Ltn. Dietlen (3P,2NR) I hit him because I saw him jerk. My plane also took damage (1, 2NL).
Attachment 227637
2Lt. Finch: I dropped down to drop the torpedo but my angle was off so I opened up with my guns on the battlecruiser doing significant damage to their guns (4,EXP). They returned fire causing my plane to smoke (2SMK, 0).
Attachment 227638

[Setarius]

2Lt. Finch: Everyone started circling to get another shot. I went after the second battlecruiser.
Attachment 227639
Lt. Forbes: Ok stop right there. You mean to tell me the cargo ship and escort were actually 2 Battlecruisers! Are you sure you were at the right location?

2Lt. Finch: Yes sir, I even checked the coordinates I was given twice.

Lt. Forbes: Ok, continue.

2Lt. Callahan: I took a shot at Ltn. Creutzmann and hit him hard (5P,2GJ) before my guns jammed.
Attachment 227640
2Lt. Finch: We dropped the torpedo aimed dead center of the second BC as their mg took a shot at us but missed (0).
Attachment 227641
We followed the track of the torp and it went under the ship and out the other side without doing anything.
Attachment 227642
2Lt. Callahan: I had been hounding Ltn. Creutzmann for a little bit while trying to unjam my guns. All of a sudden he slips in front of me and I rammed him doing major damage and sending him to the sea below.
Collision: 2Lt. Callahan (0) Ltn. Creutzmann (6P)
Attachment 227643
2Lt. Finch: I guess the second BC woke up as they tried to hit us (0) as Sgt. LaClaire returned fire (1NL)
Attachment 227644
Both BCs tried to hit 2Lt. Hamlett but missed with one coming close (0).
Attachment 227645
2Lt. Hamlett: I took a shot at what turned out to be Obltn. von Boddien's plane (5P) doing major damage and hitting the Obltn.
Attachment 227646
2Lt. Finch: No one was in range for a shot. 2Lt. Callahan lining up for one on Ltn. Dietlen.
Attachment 227647
2Lt. Callahan: The crazy assed Hun turned in to me ramming doing minor damage (1) to my plane but causing a fire on his (4FIRE).
Attachment 227648

[Setarius]

2Lt. Callahan: I was determined to shoot down someone so I went after the one that had rammdd me.
Attachment 227649
2Lt. Finch: Since there was nothing more that we could do we turned for home.
Attachment 227650
Fire damage (1).
Attachment 227651
Fire damage (1)
2Lt. Callahan trying to get close enough for a shot.
Attachment 227652
2Lt. Callahan: Can I catch him before he flames out? Do I smell a Kill?
Attachment 227653
2Lt. Callahan: The angle was lousy, but I took the shot and saw his plane start spinning to the sea below (2).
Attachment 227654
We all headed back to Calais to try to find a certain Captain.
Attachment 227655

[Setarius]

Butcher's Bill
Battlecruisers Left to Right
Dmg 4 plus EXP inMG Bunker
Dmg 1 Torpedo complete miss
Attachment 227657

Central Powers Left to Right
Obltn. Gustav von Boddien RTB 5Dmg WIA
C&W Rolled 4+3RTB-1WIA=6 Rolled 4 SKIP 2
Attachment 227658

Ltn. Konrad Dietlen SD WIA FLM SEA
C&W Rolled 11-1WIA-1SD-1SEA=8 Rolled 1 skip 1
E&E Rolled 9-1FLM-1SEA-1WIA+1NML-1WIC=6 In Hiding Rolled 1 SKIP 1

Ltn. Aloys Creutzmann Col WIA RTB
C&W Rolled 5+3RTB-1WIA=7 Rolled 6 SKIP 2
Attachment 227659

Entente Left to Right
2Lt. Larry Callahan RTB 1 Kill Dmg 4
Kill Ltn. Konrad Dietlin

2Lt. William Finch RTB DH4 (P) Dmg 2 SMK
Sgt. Jean-Paul LaClaire DH4 (O)

2Lt. Rodger Hamlett RTB Dmg 5

Note: When doing the BB I got the wrong dmg cards in front of the DH4 and Hamlett's Camel. Not that it made any difference.
Attachment 227660

[Setarius]

Ok I made the same mistake counting the special damage from a collision as the second WIA. Ltn Aloys Creutzmann would still have been flying, barely only 2 points left, without the second WIA.
So I am going to count him as RTB along with Obltn von Boddien.

[Stumptonian]

Good show, Dale.
Too bad the "pregnant whale's" torpedo was a total miss.

I was afraid of that when I played mine so I went with bombs to get two cracks at them.

I see I wasn't the only one confused by the secondary damage on the "C" cards.
It sure seems logical to me to count it, but I am glad I didn't have to.
Like yours it messed up my chance of doing further damage in the MvR AAR I just posted. Schmidt still had 5 damage left.
I might have had a chance to go after Brown and May but it's all "woulda coulda shoulda" .... and at least he's available to me for the D.VII Fest.


Rep incoming ...


-----------------------
It's on backorder at the moment - gotta spread around the love it's telling me.
I will try to remember to come back and tag you when I am reloaded.

[gully_raker]

Well Dale that ended up "a much ado about nothing" to paraphrase Shakespeare.
Those Torpedoes can be most frustrating!
That was why I went with Bombs not that it helped when my Bomber went "BOOM" before it could drop its eggs.

Anyway good try & you did get a Kill.

Not sure how the Victory points will turn out. I will leave that up to Uncle.

[flash]

Another great sea shanty in the making there Dale Very brave of you to take on the torpedo option and a real shame it didn't work out for you but I really enjoyed the action, even if a little flawed - Uncle's been going over reports of the action ...

Uncle says:

Well done young fellah, a brave effort with an unfamiliar weapon system, you did well to get within range let alone have a go at hitting something with it !
I'm pleased to see you picked up on your C deck collision error - p16 in the RAP rule book if anyone needs to check it out. A niggly thing but it may save your chaps behind one day !
Both Creutzman and Dietlen took special damage from collision, fire and wound - This has resolved the Butchers Tally in quite a surprising way - I have sketched it in below rather than overwriting your original so you may see the differences but the end result is there are no kills for either side, though a couple of the Hun's are out of action for a month !

Obltn. Gustav von Boddien: RTB / WIA / 0 kills - 5Dmg
C&W: Rolled 4+3RTB -1WIA = 6 - Rolled 4 = SKIP 2

Ltn. Konrad Dietlen: RTB / WIA / 0 Kills
C&W: Rolled 11 +3RTB -1WIA = 13 All well when you land well

Ltn. Aloys Creutzmann: RTB / WIA / 0 kills
C&W: Rolled 5 +3RTB -1WIA = 7 - Rolled 6 = SKIP 2

2Lt. Larry Callahan: RTB / 0 Kill - Dmg 4

2Lt. William Finch: (P) DH4 - RTB 0 kills - Dmg 2 SMK
Sgt. Jean-Paul LaClaire: (O) DH4 - RTB 0 Kills

2Lt. Rodger Hamlett: RTB / 0 kills - Dmg 5

Give me a nod if you'd like me to cut and paste the results in.
Keep 'em coming

[Setarius]

I agree Pete. It does seem logical to count any damage in a collision because you could damage a prop or engine in a head on collision, or possibly hit the pilot with debris or damage control lines in any other type of collision.
But, it is what it is.

Dave, you can leave the results the way they are, I've made the corrections in my notebook. I still am only seeing the results, on the spreadsheet, up to mission 6 on my tablet and mission 8 when I look it up on my phone. Don't know what is going on, but it is not just my results but everyone elses as well.

I didn't know how to count the EXP in the MG bunker for VP since it was caused by MG fire.
But it was fun. I had to run this one twice because I made a couple of major mistakes that affected the outcome of the mission the first time.

[flash]

... I still am only seeing the results, on the spreadsheet, up to mission 6 on my tablet and mission 8 when I look it up on my phone. Don't know what is going on, but it is not just my results but everyone else's as well.

Well they're bang up to date so your devices are not looking at the latest iteration for some reason, maybe they're looking at a saved copy ? Someone more tech savvy might have a suggestion. Have you tried linking from the rules thread again ? Link here

...I didn't know how to count the EXP in the MG bunker for VP since it was caused by MG fire...

As it was fired at the AAMG I'd say it just wipes out the gun position - damage but not enough to disable the ship.

[mikeemagnus]

"Pregnant Whale" I like that one! Good bun fight there Dale. Pity the torpedo missed, but otherwise that was a great fight. Mike

[Teaticket]

Tough outcome Dale but at least all the boys made it back in one piece. Experienced gained for the new pilots is invaluable.

[Carl_Brisgamer]

Hi Dale, it seems I'm playing catch up with your reports!

Glad you boys all made it back - my See Adlers suffered more aircrew losses in this one mission than the campaign so far!